'Heartbreaking given the circumstances': Documentary reveals Heath Ledger was working on dream directorial debut about chess prodigy who develops reliance on drugs

Before his devastating death due to an accidental overdose on prescription drugs in 2008, Heath Ledger was happily living out his career-long dream to become a feature film director.

Released in May, new documentary I Am Heath sheds light on The Queen's Gambit, the star's unfinished passion project, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the actor's life.

Based on a novel, the tale centers on a chess prodigy who develops a reliance on drugs and alcohol, Elle noted the coincidence reporting: 'his choice of material only feels more heartbreaking given the murky circumstances of his death.'

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Tragic: A new documentary on Heath Ledger has shed light on the star's unfinished directorial debut The Queen's Gambit and the tragic relevance some of the themes had to his sad death

While scant details about the film's early-stages production were available around the time of his death, the all-access documentary revealed that The Dark Knight legend was himself a devoted chess fanatic.

At age 10, Heath was the junior chess champion of his home state Western Australia, continuing his passion even after he found fame.

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When he was living in New York, the megastar would regularly stop-off in the city's famed Washington Square Park to challenge other chess fanatics.

'And the culmination of that hobby, his acting experience, and his directorial aspirations was to be a film called The Queen's Gambit,' the publication added.

Prodigy: Doco I Am Heath revealed that the tragic tale centers on a chess prodigy who develops a reliance on drugs and alcohol

Coincidence: Said Elle of the coincidence 'his choice of material only feels more heartbreaking given the murky circumstances of his death'

Sadly, the 109-page script the actor worked on with producer Allan Scott turned out to be prophetic in many ways.

The Independent obtained a copy of the script, saying that Heath would have been 'intimately connected' to it at the time of his death.

One tragic sequence from the script describes some hauntingly mirroring actions taken by main character Beth.

Script: The Independent obtained a copy of the script worked on by Heath and producer Allan Scott, with a sequence featuring main character Beth bearing a haunting similarity to Heath's 2008 accidental overdose

'Her suitcase lies open on the bed, clothes spilling everywhere...There are at least a dozen bottles of tranquilliser pills lying in the suitcase,' it begins.

'Stuffed into every corner, each with Mexican labels. She opens one of these – grabs a bottle of liquor – and drinks direct from the bottle to swallow two pills.'

When he overdosed in his New York apartment in January 2008, the Australian icon was amidst preparations to direct the film.

Hard to swallow: 'There are at least a dozen bottles of tranquilliser, she grabs a bottle of liquor – and drinks direct from the bottle to swallow two pills,' it reads

A clip from the film released by US Magazine also showed precious footage of the star rehearsing for hit film A Knight's Tale.

Actor Ben Mendelsohn spoke of Heath's involvement during the video, revealing he almost turned it down because he was struggling to find depth in the character.

'Heath really gave an incredible amount of dignity to his characters, even in a film that’s as sort of whimsical and light in its way as A Knight’s Tale,' he said.

Precious audio from the late star also described his decision making process, having been initially turned-off by the fact Queen's We Will Rock You was supposed to be playing, despite the film being set in the Middle Ages.

Almost never was: A clip from the film released by US Magazine also showed precious footage of the star rehearsing for hit film A Knight's Tale, revealing he nearly pulled-out of the comedy

'I think I almost closed the script on that line because I was thinking, "Oh, it’s one of those movies that’s trying to mix the two," but as I read further into it, it explained itself,' Heath said.

'The rock and roll music destroys any barriers that are restricting as to historical truth, he added.

'You know, it’s a fairy tale. We want the audience to walk in there and be transported.'

I Am Heath had an exclusive one-week-only release in Australia, but will premiere on Spike TV in the US on May 17.

Depth: The Australian icon was struggling to find dignity in the character, before realising: 'You know, it’s a fairy tale. We want the audience to walk in there and be transported'